Relaxation sole and shoe equipped therewith

ABSTRACT

A relaxation insole having, in combination: 
     a supination-providing heel cup; 
     a heel-bone support; 
     a support beneath the first two metatarsals; and 
     a support beneath the last three metatarsal heads.

The present invention relates to a relaxation insole for putting insidea shoe to give the wearer of the shoe a sensation of well-being.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The insole region of the foot is known to have numerous muscles,tendons, vessels, and nerves which, on being stimulated, can influencethe rest of the organism.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention seeks to relax the wearer of the insole by acting on theway in which the sole region of the foot bears against the insole.

The invention achieves this by means of an insole which comprises incombination:

a supination-providing heel cup;

a heel-bone support;

a support beneath the first two metatarsals; and

a support beneath the last three metatarsal heads.

The inventors have observed that such an insole provides its user with asensation of slackening at the abdomen and in the lumbar region, asensation of easing of the knees, and a sensation of general well-being.

The invention also provides a shoe fitted with an insole as specifiedabove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics of the invention will appear on reading thefollowing the detailed description of an insole constituting anon-limiting embodiment of the invention, and on examining theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an insole of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the supination-providing heel cup on its own;

FIGS. 3 to 5 are longitudinal sections on section lines III to Vrespectively;

FIGS. 6 to 9 are cross-sections on section lines VI to IX respectively;

FIG. 10 shows the heel-bone support on its own;

FIG. 11 shows the support for the first two metatarsals on its own;

FIG. 12 shows the support for the last three metatarsal heads on itsown;

FIG. 13 shows a plurality of cross-sections of the insole;

FIG. 14 shows two longitudinal sections of the insole; and

FIG. 15 shows the action of the supination-providing heel cup.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the description below, reference is made to a grid for identifyingthe positions of the various supports formed on the insole.

Only the insole for a left foot is described, it being understood thatthe insole for the right foot is identical, ignoring symmetry.

The insole is subdivided lengthwise into six successive sectionsidentified, from heel to toe by graduations ⅙ to ⅚, and widthwise intosix radial stripes R₁ to R₆.

Lines D₁ and D₂ are drawn that are tangential respectively to the medialedge 1 and to the lateral edge 2 of the insole, and lines D₃ and D₄ aredrawn that are tangential respectively to the back edge 3 and to thefront edge 4, which lines are parallel to each other and substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the insole.

The lines between tho radial stripes R₁ to R₆ subdivide the segments ofthe lines D₃ and D₄ that lie between the lines D₁ and D₂ into sixintervals of equal length.

The radial stripes R₁ to R₆ are numbered starting from the medial edge 1of the insole.

On examining FIG. 1, it will be observed that the insole has also beengraduated lengthwise in fifths.

Dashed lines identify the projections T₁ to T₅ in the plane of FIG. 1 ofthe five metatarsal heads, which are numbered starting from the medialedge 1 of the insole.

In accordance with the invention, the insole includes;

a supination-providing heel cup 5;

a heel-bone support 6;

a support 7 beneath the first two metatarsals; and

a support 8 beneath the last three metatarsal heads.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the outline of the supination-providingheel cup 5 on its own.

It extends longitudinally beside the medial edge 1 of the insole to apoint 5 a situated at about {fraction (11/20)}ths of the way along thelength of the insole.

The cup 5 extends longitudinally beside the lateral edge 2 to a point 5b situated halfway along the length of the insole.

Between points 5 a and 5 b, the cup 5 is defined at its forward end by astraight line 5 c interconnecting them.

FIGS. 3 to 9 show various sections repenting the profile of the cup 5.

On examining the sections, it will be observed that the thickness of thecup is at a maximum at its inside edge 1 between graduations ⅙ and{fraction (2/6)}, thereby providing support for the anterior tuberosityof the heel-bone.

The thickness of the cup 5 at its periphery decreases progressively fromthe zone where it is at a maximum to the point 5 a where it is zero. Thethickness remains substantially constant along the rear edge 3 and thendecreases beside the lateral edge 2 from graduation ⅙, on going towardsthe point 5 b, where it is zero.

On examining FIGS. 3 to 9, it will be observed that the cup 5 forms ahollow in the region beneath the heel-bone.

In the embodiment described, the thickness of the cup 5 is as follows:

5 mm at the intersection between the rear edge 3 of the insole andsection plane III;

4 mm at the intersection between the rear edge 3 of the insole andsection plane IV;

3 mm at the intersection between the rear edge 3 of the insole andsection plane V;

5 mm at the intersection between the medial edge 1 of the insole andsection plane VI;

1 mm at the intersection between the lateral edge 2 of the insole andsection plane VI;

6 mm at the intersection between the medial edge 1 of the insole andsection plane VII;

4 mm at the intersection between the lateral edge 2 of the insole andsection plane VIII;

5 mm at the intersection between the medial edge 1 of the insole andsection plane IX; and

4 mm at the intersection between the lateral edge 2 of the insole andsection plane IX.

Thus, the thickness of the cup 5 as measured in a cross-section planevaries at most by about 2 mm.

The cup 5 can be made by overmolding an elastomer material oragglomerated cork on a support sheet 9 of constant thickness.

FIG. 10 shows the heel-bone support 6 on its own.

In the embodiment described, this support 6 is made by overmolding inthe hollow of the cup 5 an elastomer material which is softer than thematerial constituting the cup.

The top surface of the support 6 bulges outwards slightly.

The function of the support 6 is to cushion contact with the ground andto give the user a slight sensation of being propelled forwards andoutwards.

In plan view, as shown in FIG. 10, the support 6 has an outline that issubstantially oval and elongate in the longitudinal direction of theinsole.

The posterior end 6 a of the support 6 extends a little behind theanterior boundary P of the first posterior fourth of the posteriortarsus, and its anterior end 6 b is situated at the posterior boundary Aof the first anterior fourth of the posterior tarsus, which extends overabout one-third of the length of the foot.

The support 6 extends laterally from the straight line between thesecond and third radial stripes R₂ and R₃, and about the middle of thefifth radial stripe R₅.

Thus, the support 6 is off-centered slightly towards the lateral edge 2of the insole, in order to avoid limiting the supination-providingeffect of the cup 5.

The thickness of the material constituting the support 6 is at a maximumof 5 mm in its center.

FIG. 11 shows the support 7 on its own.

This support 7 is made by overmolding using an elastomer material thatis more flexible than the material constituting the cup 5.

The support 7 extends behind the projections T1 and T₂ for the first twometatarsal heads and begins substantially level with the rear half ofthe projection T₃ for the third metatarsal head.

The support 7 is defined on the medial by the inside edge 1 of theinsole and on its lateral it runs along a straight line X whichintersects the medial edge 1 of the insole level graduation {fraction(2/6)} and passes between the projections T₃ and T₄ of the third andfirst metatarsal heads.

The support 7 is of a height which, in general terms, decreases from themedial edge 1 of the insole towards the lateral.

The thickness of the material constituting the support 7 is at a maximumon the medial edge 1 of the insole at a point 7 a situated atsubstantially two-fifths of the length of the insole.

The material constituting the support 7 is superposed on the materialconstituting the front end of the cup 5.

FIG. 12 shows on its own the support 8 which extends laterally from theoutside edge 2 of the insole to the straight line between the third andfourth radial stripes R₃ and R₄.

The support 8 extends lengthwise relative to the insole on either sideof a straight line Y inter-connecting the centers of the projections T₃to T₅ of the last three metatarsal heads, over about 15 mm forwards andabout 13 mm rearwards.

The support 8 in the example described is made by overmolding using amaterial having the same hardness as the material used for making thecup 5.

The shape of the support 8 bulges slightly outwards.

In each section plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of theinsole and perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 12, the high point of thesupport 8 is situated substantially on the straight line Y.

The thickness of the material constituting the support 8 is at itsmaximum at its intersection with the lateral edge 2 of the insole anddecreases going along the straight line Y, and is equal to about 1.5 mm.

FIG. 13 shows the profiles of the insole in successive cross-sectionplanes. The thicknesses are sometimes exaggerated in order to clarifythe drawing.

In the example described, the total thickness h of the cup 5 plus theelastomer material constituting the support 6 reaches a maximum of 7 mm,and the total thickness h′ of the cup 5 plus the material constitutingthe support 7 reaches a maximum of 10 mm.

FIG. 14 shows profiles of the insole in two longitudinal section planes.

The supination-providing effect produced by the cup 5 is represented inFIG. 15 by arrows.

The medial region S of the cup 5 as outlined by dashed lines providessupporting supination to the foot, tending to tilt the foot towards thesupport 8 about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to theline X.

Naturally, it would not go beyond the ambit of the invention to make theinsole by technical means other than by overmolding.

What is claimed is:
 1. A relaxation insole, characterized by the factthat it comprises in combination: a heel cup (5); a heel-bone support(6) that is made out of a material of a hardness that is less than ahardness of a material constituting the heel cup, a support in a firsttwo metatarsal region of the insole that is made of a materialpresenting hardness that is less than a hardness of the materialconstituting the heel cup and; a support in a last three metatarsal headregion of the insole.
 2. An insole according to claim 1, wherein saidcup extends longitudinally as far as a straight line joining the outsideedge of the insole about halfway along its length to the inside edge ofthe insole at about {fraction (11/20)}th of its length.
 3. An insoleaccording to claim 1, wherein the height of said cup presents a maximumat the inside edge of the insole, between one-sixth and one-third of itslength.
 4. An insole according to claim 1, wherein the height of saidcup measured in a cross-section plane varies by no more than 2 mm.
 5. Aninsole according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that theheel-bone support (6) is slightly off-center towards a lateral edge ofthe insole.
 6. An insole according to claim 1, characterized by the factthat the support in the first two metatarsal region of the insoleextends behind the projection (T₁, T₂) of a first two metatarsal headregion of the insole and begins substantially level with the rear halfof the projection (T₃) of a third metatarsal head region of the insole,by the fact that it is defined laterally by a medial edge (1) of theinsole, and by the fact that, on a lateral edge of the support in thefirst two metatarsal region of the insole, it extends along a straightline (X) intersecting the medial edge (1) of the insole one-third of theway along its length and passing between the projections (T₃, T₄) of athird and fourth metatarsal head regions of the insole.
 7. An insoleaccording to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the support (8) inthe last three metatarsal head region of the insole extends laterallyfrom the lateral edge (2) of the insole to an intersection between athird and a fourth radial stripe (R₃, R₄), and longitudinally on eithersaid of a straight line (Y) interconnecting centers of projections (T₃,T₄, T₅) of a last three metatarsal head regions of the insole.
 8. Aninsole according to claim 1, wherein said cup and said supports are madeby overmolding on a support sheet.
 9. A shoe fitted with a relaxationinsole as defined in claim 1.